Rotary engine.



GVW. SNEAD.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION rum) 3.23, 1913 1,068,282. Patented July 22, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR A TTORNEPS PATENT ()FFIE.

GEORGE WASHINGTON SNEAD, or RINGGOLD, LOUISIANA.

sonar Specification of Application filed April 23,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SNEAD, a-citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ringgold, in the parish of Bie'nv'ille and State of Louisiana, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary. Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rotary engines, my more particular purpose being to provide an engine of this type with improved reversing mechanism and with sliding abutments of special form and controlled, together with movable guides coactiug therewith, and also with reversing valves to reverse the engine by practically a single manual movement.- a

My invention further comprehends. various improvements in rotary engines for the purpose of increasinglthe general efiiciency of the same.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofj-this specification and in'which' like letters indicate like parts. 1

T Figure 1 is afront elevation of the engine complete. Fig. 2 is aifragmentaryaxiem, partly in elevation and partly in section;

showing the manner in which the reversing lever is connected. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig; 4 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. iis a view partly in ele vation and partly in section, showing theengine with a part of the casing removed Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1 look ing in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 looking in" the direction of. tha arrow.

The casing'bftheengine is shown at 7 the steam chest at 8, a governor at 9, and a steam pipe at 10. Connected with this steam pipe and with the governor is a pipe section 11 communicating with the steam chest 8. The reversing lever is shown at 12 and adjacent to this reversing lever is a sector 13 secured to the casing and provided upon its concave edge with notches 13". A pawl 14.- is carried by the reversing lever 12, which is provided with a slot 14 for this purpose. The pawl is mounted upon the lower end of a rod 15, which extends axially through a'portion ofthe reversing lever 12. A spring 16 encircling the rod 15 is connected with this rod, and is housed within the reversing lever as indicated in Fig. The operator by placing his thumb upon the upper end of the rod 15;

ENGINE.

Patented July 1913. Serial No. 763,050.

Letters Patent. 19 l 3.

i and pressing this red downwardly can move the pawl 14 so as to disengage itfrom either of the notches 13 and when the reversing lever is moved into such position that the plate 14 can enter the opposite notch 13, it does so. A

A substantially cylindrical con'ipartment, formed as hereinafter described, contains a. rotor 18 having generally the form of a disk. Thls rotor carries two pistons 19, 19 slidably mounted within it and provided each with a neck 20 which engages a spiral spring 21, these parts being also housed within the rotor as may be understood from Figs. 3 and 4. The engine shaft is shown at 92 and is mounted in bearings 23. The shaft is provided adjacent its ends with pulleys 21, 95 secured rigidly upon it. A belt 26 may en stance is shown as engaging the pulley -25. Annular packings 27 of flexible material such as leather, are disposed internally of the casing and sunken thereinto. These packings are engaged by spiral springs 28 which press the packings against the rotor and in so doing form steam tight joints. Other .,packings '29 made of flexible sheet material arehemployed for rendering the casin steam ti t;

thewalls ofthe-easi as indicated more particularly in Fig. 4. Mounted upon the plates 31 and sunken thereinto are cheek pieces 34 which are stationary in relation to the plate 31 and extend slightly upward therefrom, the tops ofthese cheek pieces being slightly ,wider than other portions thereof. Two abutments 35, 36 are provided at their lower edges with sliding heads 37. the latter extending down between the cheek pieces 34. Each sliding abutment 35, 36 is provided with packings 3'8 sunken into its opposite faces and engaging the adjacent inner surfaces of the casing. These paclc ings are approximately tangential te the compartment 17. Pivotally connected with the abutments 35, 36 are-links 37 and pivotally connected with these links are levers 40. These links are pivotally mounted upon stationary posts 41 supported by the casing and extending inwardly therefrom. Pivotally connected witlrtlre levers are links 42, the latter being pivotally connected with two slides 13. 44. The plate 30 is provided with two holes 45, 4.6 communicating with the 'wo massive plates 30. 31 are spaced apart .so as to form compartmentsa3233 between gage either of these pulleys but in this inthereby.

steam chest and ci zsiituting inlet ports for the st: in.

Fai h. aliiutmert 33 provided with a slot 4" link extends into this slot and is ivy connected with the abutment. link is also pivotally connected with a t 49. the latter eXtending'int-o a all! which the plate is. provided 1 iiv-ctcd within said slot as to ving relativelv to the plate when uiiuent is moved. sliding iar 51 is provided with laterally one 52. 53 and connected with are rods 54:, which extend through st nng boxes 56, and are connected with tne sliding ahutments. Two links .57 are pivotally connected to the sliding bar 51 and extend into the slot 58 of the reversing lever 12. Within this slot the ends of the links 57 are pivotally connected to the reversing lever. A base 59 is provided for supporting the casing and parts carried A railing 60 mounted upon the base'is employed for supporting the reversing lever'and protecting various other parts. The operationv of my device is as follows: The partsbeing assembled and'arranged as shown and described, the reversing lever 12 piston 19, 19

exhaust steam is permitted to escape. By

is shifted into one or the other of its normal positions. I will suppose that it is moved to the right according to F igs. 1, 2,

- and 3,. as indicated in said figures. The

shifting of the reversing lever 12 causes the links 57, 58 to move the bar 51 to the left. This slides the abutments 35, 36 into their extreme positions to the left, as indicated in Fig. 4. This movement of the abutments causes the guide plate 49 at the left to swing outwardly to its limit so that its in ner surface is brought into registry with the adjacent inner surface of the compartment 17. The guide plate 49 at the right, that is the one associated with the abutment 36, is swung inwardly at its upper end until it is approximately in contact with the rotor 18. The slide 4-3 now closes the inlet port 45 and the inlet port 46 is opened owing to the fact that the slide 44- is at its limit to the right according to Big. 4. Steam is now turned into the steam chest. Being unable to pass through the port 45, the steam passes through theport 46, and being unable to otherwise escape, passes obliquely upward to the left over the abutment 36 and into contact with the piston 19*. The rotor 18 is thus turned in a contra-clockwise direction according to Fig. 4. The piston 19 now passes upwardly out of engagement with the abutment 36, and asupply of live steam now presses against this piston and continues the rotary motion of the rotor. Each time 9. passes the exhaust port 61 the swinging the reversing lever 12 into its other normal position-that is to the left according to Figs. 1, 2, and 3the abutments 33, 36 are reversed; that is they are moved to the right according to' Fig. 4, and the various parts carried by them are likewise thrown into their respective reversed positions. The effect of the steam now is to turn the rotor 18 in a clockwise direction accordingto Fig. No matter into what direction the motor is turning, each time either of the pistons 19 makes a complete revolution it passes idly by one of the guide plates 49-say the one at the left ofFig. 4 and upon reaching the other guide plate 49 the piston is forced radially inward relatively to the rotor, of Fig. 4. The tension of the springs 21, by pressing always against the stems 20, has atendency to force the pistons outwardly and maintain them steam tight.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown as variation may be made therein Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a rotary engine the combination of a casingprovided with a compartment, a rotor revolubly' mounted within said compartment, pistons carried by said rotor,:

abutments slidably mounted withirl said casing andslidable in said rotor, links connected with said sliding abutments, valves connected with said links and actuatedby movements thereof for controlling the admission of steam, guide plates pivotally connected with said abutments and with said casing for forcing said pistons into one of their extreme positions as said rotorturns, a reversing lever, said reversing lever to said abutments for enabling movements of said reversing lever to slide said abutments. r

2. A rotary engine comprising a casing provided with a compartment, a. rotor mounted within said compartment, pistons carried by said rotor, springs-for forcing said pistons outwardly movable abutments mounted within said casing, guide plates pivotally connected with said casing and with said abutments, said guide plates being shiftable into difi'erent relative positions by movements of said abutments, said guide plates'being movable partially into the path of travel of said pistons for the purpose of shifting the positions of said pistons relatively to said r0- tor, valves for controlling the supply of steam, each of said valves being adapted to beopened for admitting steam to drive the rotor in one direction and to be closed for driving the rotor in the opposite direction, links connected with said valves, levers pivotally connected with said links, from said levers to said abutments for enabling movements of said abutments to actuate said levers, and means controllable at from said rotor,

connections different angles as said the will of the operator for shifting the positions of said abutmentsr 3. A reversible rotary engine comprising a casing provided with plates and with inlet ports extending through said plates, valves slidably connected with said plates and adapted to open and close said inlet ports, links pivotally connected with said valve, levers pivoted to said links, slideways mounted in said casing, sliding abutments supported upon said slideways, and control lable by said levers, a rotor located between said sliding abutments and adapted to be engaged by either of said sliding abutments, guide plates connected with said sliding abutments and adapted to be swung to abutments are moved, a rotor mounted within said casing, pistons carried by said rotor, springs for forcing s'aid pistons outwardly, said pistons being forced inwardly by one of said guiding plates when the latter occupies a predetermined position controllable by the position of the abutments with which it is connected, a reversing lever, and mechanism connected with said reversing lever and controllable thereby for shifting the positions of said abutments.

4. The combination in a rotary engine provided with a compartment and with a rotor mounted in said compartment, of a sliding abutment moved towardand from said rotor, a guide plate pivotally connected to said sliding abutment and to said casing so that said guide plate swings to different angles relatively to said casing as said abutment is moved in to different positions, a reversing lever, and connections from said reversing lever to said abutment for the purpose of sliding the latter when said reversing lever is actuated.

In a rotary engine the combination of a casing provided with plates, the latter being shaped to form a compartment, cheek pieces carried by one of said plates, said cheek pieces being provided with oppositely disposed portions extending toward each other, a sliding abutment provided with a portion extending between said check pieces,

a rotor located within said compartment, a

guiding plate pivotally connected with said abutment and also pivotally connected with the plate carrying said cheek pieces for the purpose of enabling movement of said abutment to swing said guide plate to ditlerent angles relatively to the casing. a rotor mounted within said compartment, pistons carried by said rotor and adapted to be moved inwardly as said pistons are brought successively into engagement with said guide plate during the rotation of the rotor, springs carried by said rotor for forcing said pistons outwardly after passing said abutment. a linl; pivotally connected with said abutment, a lever in operative relation to said link, another link connected with said lever and a slide pivotally connected with said last mentioned link for the purpose of controlling the admission of an elastic fluid for turning the rotor, a reversing lexer and connections from said reversing lever to said abutment for sliding said abutment.

GEORGE \VASHINGTON SNEAD.

\Vitnesses V. T. Cnnnowxn, TOM A. liocinrim.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

